B A RT & NA D I A S P O RT S E X P E R I E N C E 2 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2016 | THE OKLAHOMAN MEDIA COMPANY
AFTER 10 YEARS, EVENT EXPANDS INTO OKC’S SPORTS SHOWCASE Melissa Howell Staff Writer
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decade ago, Olympic gymnasts Bart Conner and Nadia Comaneci launched the Bart and Nadia Sports Festival in an effort to introduce families to a healthy lifestyle and the pleasure of athletic endeavor. The festival has since become an “experience” with opportunities to try sports activities of all types, including weightlifting, kayaking, gymnastics, soccer, basketball, tennis, bicycling, and even judo and cricket. The Oklahoman, Conner, Comaneci and all those involved with the Bart & Nadia Sports Experience hope to inspire children and adults to take ownership of their health through activities they enjoy and to embrace the Olympic values that will make our community healthier and stronger.
THE LINEUP FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12
WOMEN’S COLLEGIATE PERFECT 10 CHALLENGE | 6:45 P.M. BART CONNER INTERNATIONAL INVITATIONAL | 7 TO 10 P.M.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13 NADIA COMANECI INTERNATIONAL INVITATIONAL | 8 A.M. TO 6 P.M. NADIA COMANECI INTERNATIONAL ELITE COMPETITION 7 P.M. TO 10 P.M. THE BART AND NADIA SPORTS EXPERIENCE | 9 A.M. TO 3 P.M. RIVERSPORT RUNDERGROUND FUN RUN | 12:30 P.M. OKC RIVERSPORT INDOOR KAYAK AND ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS 9
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14 NADIA COMANECI INTERNATIONAL INVITATIONAL | 8 A.M. TO 4 P.M.
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INTERNATIONAL GYMNASTICS
HALL OF FAME INF OKC
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ounded in 1987 by the late Glenn Sundby, the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame relocated from Oceanside, Calif., to Oklahoma City in 1996. This one-of-a-kind facility features numerous stars from the gymnastics world along with collections of memorabilia dating back to the early 1900s. Currently located at Science Museum Oklahoma, 2100 NE 52, the Hall of Fame features interactive displays, inductee portraits, books, magazines, posters and apparel. The addition of the 2015 induction class lifted the total membership to 87 people from 22 countries. “To be inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame is the highest achievement in our sport,” said the late Hall of Fame Chairman Frank Bare.
SAVE THE DATE ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
MAY 21, 2016 • THE PETROLEUM CLUB • OKLAHOMA CITY • 20TH ANNUAL INDUCTION DINNER
FOR INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS CONTACT LYNN LANDIS: 364-5344 LYNN@INTLGYMNAST.COM
From left, Masao Takemoto, Mary Lou Retton, Olga Korbut, Leon Stukelj, Jack Gunthart, Nadia Comaneci, Bart Conner, Bela Karolyi
B A RT & NA D I A S P O RT S E X P E R I E N C E 4 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2016 | THE OKLAHOMAN MEDIA COMPANY
THE BART & NADIA
SPORTS EXPERIENCE GYMNASTICS MEETS PERFECT 10 CHALLENGE
A women’s collegiate gymnastics competition featuring No. 2 University of Oklahoma vs. University of Denver, Utah State University and George Washington University. One night only at 6:45 p.m. Feb. 12 at the Cox Convention Center.
THE NADIA COMANECI INTERNATIONAL INVITATIONAL
More than 1,500 levels 2 through level 10 USAG from across the United States will compete Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Cox Convention Center.
BART CONNER INVITATIONAL
More than 300 boys level 4 and up compete in the 31st edition of this meet over two days — 7 to 10 p.m. Feb. 12 and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Feb. 13 at the Cox Convention Center.
OKC RIVERSPORT RUNDERGROUND
Join others for a fun run in the Oklahoma City Underground. The race starts at 12:30 p.m. Feb. 13 in the Cox Convention Center on the first floor (street level).
THE BART & NADIA SPORTS EXPERIENCE 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 13 Cox Convention Center
ACTIVITIES FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
• Health- and fitness-related booths offering information on nutrition, health care, exercise, sports activities and more. •Sports and other fitness activities for kids. •The Oklahoma Caring Van Program is providing free body mass index screenings to youths age 18 and under. A BMI screening can help you determine if a child is at risk for health problems based on his or her weight. Stop by the Caring Van in the Blue Cross and Blue Shield booth. Children can also spin the Wheel of Health for a prize. Prize Giveaways are courtesy of The Oklahoman.
PERFECT 10 FITNESS CHALLENGE
Kids who complete in 10 fun fitness activities
will earn a Bart & Nadia Sports Experience gold medal. Activities available for kids to try: • Bart Conner Gymnastics Challenge • Chickasaw Kayak Challenge • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma Rowing Challenge • OKC Energy FC Soccer Challenge • Oklahoma City Convention & Visitor’s Bureau Tennis Challenge • UCO Adventure Experience Challenge Presented by INTEGRIS Health • OKC Thunder Basketball Challenge • ASA/USA Softball Challenge • International Judo Federation Challenge • Oklahoma LWC and Oklahoma CrossFit Coaches Weightlifting Challenge • OKC Dodgers Pitching Challenge • OKC Strikers Cricket Challenge
opportunities, player measure ups, and a photo booth that will allow you to instantly share your pictures.
BART CONNER GYMNASTICS ACADEMY ACTIVITIES Children will be taught various gymnastics skills, including tumbling, vaulting, balance beam and parallel bars.
USTA TENNIS ACTIVITIES
Come take a swing at tennis and learn more about this sport that will help keep you healthy and happy! Here are some of the activities you will experience: • Get your chance to rally with a pro • Participate in tennis target challenge • Learn great racket skills Kids will get to engage in “10 and under tennis” — a more kid-friendly way to play the game. With bigger and slower tennis balls, rackets customized for smaller hands and a smaller court, kids will have more fun and less frustration while learning to play the game.
SPOKIES/ROCKTOWN YOUTH MENTORING CYCLING CHALLENGE OKC ENERGY ACTIVITIES Do you have what it takes to go where you want to go? Test yourself on our skills track or race on GoldSprint Trainers.
Do you have what it takes to be a world class striker? Step up and take your best penalty shot and score one for the Oklahoma City Energy FC.
OKC RIVERSPORT INDOOR KAYAK AND ROWING CHALLENGE
OKC DODGERS PITCHING CHALLENGE
Experience the excitement of rowing and kayaking! See the top kayakers in the nation competing during the OKC RIVERSPORT Indoor Kayak Championships at the Cox Convention Center. And watch OKC RIVERSPORT Juniors, Masters and Corporate Rowing League teams race in the winter Indoor Rowing Championship. Try it yourself when you hop on an indoor rowing or kayak machine.
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA WELLNESS ACTIVITIES
Adventure Experiences Challenge — Test your skills slacklining, balancing on a paddle board, and playing gaga ball. Participants will have the opportunity to try a few of the adventure activities the OAR Center has to offer.
THUNDER ACTIVITIES
Come check out the OG&E Thunder Bolt. The OG&E Thunder Bolt is a traveling exhibit vehicle that serves as an interactive Thunder Basketball experience. It is stocked with multiple fan interactive opportunities for all ages including trivia, a branded locker for photo
Be the next Oklahoma City Dodgers prospect. Stop by and show off your arm.
OKLAHOMA LWC AND CROSSFIT COACHES WEIGHTLIFTING CHALLENGE
Develop speed, power and agility with CrossFit and weightlifting techniques.
ASA/USA SOFTBALL
Stop by to test your softball pitching and hitting skills. Learn more about ASA/USA Softball and how you can get involved. There will be plenty of freebies and plenty of fun! Visit ASAUSASoftball.com for more information.
OKC STRICKERS CLUB CRICKET CHALLENGE
Try the game of cricket! Participants can learn batting techniques and bowling (pitching) actions with kid-friendly cricket equipment. Learn all about cricket from real players in their full game day gear.
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THE OKLAHOMAN MEDIA COMPANY | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2016 • 5
WEIGHTLIFTING, CROSSFIT CAN L BENEFIT ANY ATHLETIC TRAINING
earn the snatch and clean and all about the world of competitive weightlifting and CrossFit at the Oklahoma Local Weightlifting Committee and CrossFit Exile booths Feb. 13 at the Bart & Nadia Sports Experience. Top local athletes will demonstrate how these movements can help high-school and college-age athletes train for sporting events. Junior National Champion Jacklyn Norman, from Moore, will be on hand to give pointers and tell her story as a two-time national podium finisher and international weightlifting competitor. In CrossFit, people from all walks of life have found an exciting way to train with variety and intensities to improve fitness levels. Competitive CrossFitters can qualify for the CrossFit Games on ESPN and are considered professional athletes. Come meet some of the best local athletes and coaches and experience the sport of fitness.
B A RT & NA D I A S P O RT S E X P E R I E N C E THE OKLAHOMAN MEDIA COMPANY | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2016 • 9
INJURY FUELS PLAYER’S DRIVE TO SUCCEED ON WOMEN’S NATIONAL SOFTBALL TEAM
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he Amateur Softball Association/USA Softball is the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. Based out of Oklahoma City, ASA/USA is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in international and domestic competitions. Each year, members of the USA Softball Women’s National Team are selected to represent the United States after participating in a Women’s National Team Selection Camp. Among those fortunate enough to make the 2016 squad is Janie Takeda. Born and raised in Placentia, Calif., Takeda grew up around the game of softball and chose to follow in the footsteps of her two older sisters, Michelle and Allison, who both played the sport. When the 5-foot7 outfielder reached the age of 12, Takeda says she almost quit from being “too burnt out” but kept at it. By the time she turned 14, she made it her goal to play Pac-12 ball. After a successful senior year at El Dorado High, she joined the Oregon Ducks, who finished at No. 7 in the last year’s ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll. “The most memorable game in my career — thus far — was during my freshman year of college when we were playing the University of Texas in super regionals,” Takeda said. “Oregon hadn’t been to the NCAA Women’s College World Series since 1989 and we were determined to get there. I specifically remember Game 2 (vs. Texas) because we had lost Game 1 and were close to our season ending.” “(In Game 2), we went into extra innings and I had not gotten a hit in either game. Coach (Mike) White told me that it didn’t matter what I had done leading up to that moment — I just needed to get on base. I led off the inning and hit a one-bouncer to the third baseman and beat it out. Then, I stole second, stole third, and scored on a sac-fly. We won that game and Game 3, and went to the WCWS. Our team was very scrappy that year. It was such a great ride.” Takeda remembers a lot of great moments throughout her softball career, but one thing had always proved troublesome while she was playing — her “delicate” labrum, as her doctors have described it. Originally hurting it her senior year of high school,
she continued to play, even after her shoulder subluxed more than six times throughout her freshman and sophomore years on the Pac-12 team. Shoulder subluxation occurs when the shoulder separates and the humerus has been displaced from the socket. As a result, Takeda had her first labral repair surgery in the summer of 2013 and recalls having a seamless junior year. A few weeks into her senior year, however, Takeda dove into second base during a game against San Diego State shortly after it had rained. That action reignited her sensitive labrum and a month later, her shoulder was forced out of its socket following a collision with center field. This time, Takeda became nauseous and scared. After missing two weeks, including the Ducks’ series against the UCLA Bruins, she returned for the remainder of her senior season. But, it didn’t stop there. Takeda’s shoulder subluxed one more time while she was asleep this past summer. It was inevitable — a trip to the surgeon was a must. The diagnosis? It was going to pop out again, it was just a matter of when. Takeda underwent her second labral repair surgery last September and is now in the midst of recovering and preparing for the upcoming season. What did she say about returning to the game of softball? “(WNT Head) Coach (Ken) Eriksen says all the time that college is the minor leagues,” Takeda said. “I want to play in the major leagues. I know there is so much more I have to learn about all facets of the game and if I quit now, who knows if I would ever realize my full potential. I love the game of softball and I think I can be a lot better at it.” At the end of her recovery process, Takeda will start her second year as one of 18 chosen to be on the Women’s National Team this summer. Takeda will join the rest of her teammates as they make two trips to Japan, compete in a World Championship and travel to four U.S. cities, in addition to a series of exhibition games. Fans in Oklahoma City will get the opportunity to catch Takeda and the Women’s National Team in action this July at the World Cup of Softball, an international softball event that will bring the world’s best softball teams to the softball capital of the world.
“Through this experience, I’ve learned about patience and trusting that everything happens for a reason,” Takeda said. “My faith has been a huge factor in getting me through the challenging times that I’ve faced with my shoulder and in all areas of life. Whether or not I like it, I’m injured. What I choose to do with this opportunity is up to me. I can be negative about it and get frustrated, which I do from time to time, or I can accept it and learn more about myself and who I want to become.” Since returning to Orange County, Takeda has spent her time working at a church, gaining a community and coaching at Biola University. “David Mikula, my sports psychologist at Oregon, once told me, ‘Usually the moment is pretty OK,’” Takeda said. “And that reminds me that I’m usually either worried about the future or worried about the past, but if I’m in the present moment, most of the time, I’m just fine.”
B A RT & NA D I A S P O RT S E X P E R I E N C E 10 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2016 | THE OKLAHOMAN MEDIA COMPANY
OKC CRICKET CLUB EXPANDS TO 2-STATE LEAGUE T
o the casual passerby, Douglass Park resembles little more than a suburban patch of green grass near a major highway intersection. White soccer goalposts are scattered and tilted on their sides. A chain-link fence separates an industrial zone from a handful of baseball fields with no backstops. To the west, the Devon Tower erupts from the skyline where Interstate 35 meets Interstate 40. It’s a former city water and waste site turned into a livable outdoor space. But to a team still chasing childhood dreams, it means so much more.
Douglass Park, 709 N Bryant Ave., is home to the Oklahoma City Strikers Cricket Club, a group of amateur cricket players. In the northwest corner of the park, the cricket field and concrete pitching area plays host to the club’s games against teams from Oklahoma and Kansas. And while the surroundings might be modest, it is another major building block toward the team’s ultimate goal. What started as eight people gathering weekly to run drills has evolved into 35 men comprising two teams that play in a highly competitive amateur league.
The Strikers are a model of diversity, with 35 members whose origins span the U.S., India, Pakistan, England, Zambia, South Africa and Bangladesh. While the team’s competition might be amateur, its dedication is professional, say the club’s organizers. Two State Cricket League, which has 10 teams, coordinates the league games in Oklahoma and Kansas. More information about cricket, the 2016 season and practice games can be found at www.okcstrikers.com.
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UCO ADVENTURE EXPERIENCES
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE CAMPS
The Adventure Experiences program at the University of Central Oklahoma Outdoor Adventure Recreation Center offers great activities for kids this spring and summer, including the UCO Outdoor Adventure Camp June 21-23, July 19-21 and July 26-28 at Arcadia Lake. The camp is for kids in fourth to eighth grade, and will include different activities each day. Led by UCO Adventure Experience facilitators, campers will experience paddle sports such as kayaking, canoeing, and paddle boarding. Campers also will navigate the new UCO Adventure Challenge Course, participating in team building and leadership activities on the low elements ropes course and zip line. In addition, campers will learn about Leave No Trace, camping skills, and participate in different team- and individual-based games and activities that encourage a healthy, active lifestyle. Other Camp activities will center on Project WILD, an outdoor education program that includes survival techniques and camping clinics. For more information on the UCO Outdoor Adventure Camp, contact Becka Johnson, adventure experiences coordinator, at (405) 974-3143 or rjohnson59@uco.edu.
The Adventure Experience programs are a part of the UCO Wellness Center. Located at the UCO Outdoor Adventure Recreation Center, in Edmond Park at Arcadia Lake. The UCO OAR is the Edmond area’s hub for activities such as kayaking-canoeing, hiking, fishing, camping, mountain biking and more. The center also offers multiple training sessions, conference and event space rentals, group activities, and outings for UCO students, faculty and staff, as well as the community. The new Adventure Experience challenge course, now located at the UCO OAR Center, is a great addition to OAR Center adventure experience programs adding another leadership development tool that can be tailored for individuals or groups. Participants develop skills like teamwork, trust, communication and service. The course offers games and teambuilding, utilizing low elements and 300 plus foot zip line. For more information on the Outdoor Adventure Recreation Center, contact Joe Ready, recreation programs manager, at (405) 844-4560 or jready1@uco.edu.
OKLAHOMA PROJECT WILD
Oklahoma Project WILD provides educators and students with the tools, training and resources needed to engage students in active, hands-on learning about wildlife and the environment. Since 1984, more than 24,000 people have attended Oklahoma Project WILD workshops. The program operates out of the UCO Wellness Center. For more information on Oklahoma Project WILD, contact Lisa Anderson, Oklahoma Project WILD coordinator, at (405) 990-1292 or okprojectwild@fullnet.net.
UCO ENDEAVOR GAMES
Also involved with the Adventure Experiences program is the UCO Endeavor Games. The annual event that began in 2000 is the largest multi-sport, multi-disability event in the United States. More than 400 athletes come to UCO and Edmond for the games to participate in one of the 12 sports. This year’s event is June 9-12. To learn more about health and wellness programming at UCO, visit www.ucowellnesscenter.com.
B A RT & NA D I A S P O RT S E X P E R I E N C E 12 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2016 | THE OKLAHOMAN MEDIA COMPANY
KIDS LEARN BENEFIT OF
FUN, FITNESS M
ost kids naturally love to be active. Yet, children today take 90 seconds longer to run a mile than kids did 30 years ago, according to research from the University of South Australia that gathered data from 28 countries including the United States. Why? Statistics indicate children today move less and weigh more, resulting in a higher Body Mass Index. Twenty years ago, no state had an obesity rate above 15 percent. Today there are 41 states with obesity rates over 25 percent, according to the Trust for American’s Health. Oklahoma’s obesity rate is 33 percent. But the Bart & Nadia Sports Experience is out to make a dent in that number by introducing children to activities they can love for a lifetime. “After seeing so many reports about the lack of fitness for children in Oklahoma, we started the Kids Fun and Fitness Day Challenge to inspire children who are in a critical stage in their lives (typically fourth grade) to commit to being active with sports and fitness,” said Bart Conner, principal event organizer and Olympic gymnast. “If kids have a positive experience with a variety sports, they might be more likely to keep fitness as a priority for the rest of their lives.” The 2016 Fun and Fitness Day, in conjunction with the Bart & Nadia Sports Experience, gives children at inner-city schools a chance to research different sports in class, then try them out at the event. This year’s Fun and Fitness Day is Feb. 12. The Fun and Fitness Day includes a field trip to the Sports Experience for about 300 fourthgraders in the Oklahoma City Public School System. The children participate in the Perfect 10 Fitness Challenge, learn about nutrition and wellness, interact with inspirational speakers and enjoy a
healthy snack. “We want to show kids that, in addition to the traditional sports such as basketball, baseball and football, there are also a variety of sports opportunities in OKC that they might not have considered, including judo, tennis, weightlifting, gymnastics, rowing, kayaking, cricket and others. If we can show them that it is fun and accessible, perhaps they will realize that these sports and fitness activities can lead to a way of life for many of them,” Conner said. In preparation for Fun and Fitness Day, students learn about the various sports they will be introduced to, goals for participation in those sports, and Olympic sports and Olympic athletes in an effort to create a personal connection with legendary athletes. Conner and wife Nadia Comaneci — the first Olympic gymnast to score a perfect 10 — say they love interacting with kids and inspiring them to pursue a life of fitness. “I love to see the excitement on the faces of the children as they experience a new sport or activity for the first time,” Conner said. As for the future, Conner said the goal is to introduce more children to a healthy lifestyle, and maybe ignite a spark that will produce a future Olympian. “We are so grateful for our continued partnerships with the leading sports entities here in OKC such as OKC Riversport, the OKC Thunder, the OKC Energy, UCO and OU,” Conner said. “I dream that, together, we can set a positive example for children. Perhaps some of them will be interested in excelling in sports, but we hope that all of them will see the benefits of being active and healthy.”